Thane sat stiffly in the council hall, the weight of each council members' gaze pressing down on him. The polished mahogany table stretched before him, each seat filled with advisors and emissaries whose furrowed brows and tapping feet gave him no hope this meeting would be easy. At the head of the table sat the King and Queen.

He had survived the fiercest combat, sinking ships, and deadly storms during his time on the sea, but nothing could have prepared him for the feelings that overcame him upon seeing his parents- Koen's parents- after all these years.

The way his mother had once spoken so gingerly to him as a child now felt like a distant memory, replaced by the sharp tone she carried now.

"This is the third attack in just the past few months. We cannot afford any more supplies being intercepted by these..." she huffed under her breath, "reckless lunatics."

Thane sat up straighter, her words caught his attention, though he quickly painted a look of concern upon his features.

Three successful raids.
Well done, crew.

One of the emissaries leaned forward as well, face drawn with the pressing matter, "The restlessness amongst the merchants is increasing, Your Highness. They've begun demanding higher payments upon departure and arrival. Advisors from Galric are here to negotiate terms of supplying the kingdom through the winter. This is our last chance to replenish our losses."

The King turned his gaze to Thane, "This means we cannot afford to lose their goodwill," he added, his warning tone edged with trust. "You're well-prepared for this, Koen. But I hope you understand what's at stake here."

Thane shifted awkwardly in his seat at the mention of his brother's name, "Yes, of course. Everything will go smoothly, I'm sure of it." He exuded his usual charm, but the peculiar glances exchanged between his parents suggested they weren't entirely convinced.

Signaled by the Queen, the emissary was left to fetch the merchants waiting in the grand hall. As the pair entered and took their seats, their expressions were as cold as the night sea.

As the traders began to explain the situation and laid out their demands, Thane struggled to keep his focus. The irony of the situation had hit him- the Crimson Scythe crew had crippled the kingdom's supply line, diminishing their chances for trades and allies. Thane caught the corners of his mouth stretching into a grin.

"Koen," his mother whispered sharply, her voice like the crack of a whip.

The smirk vanished in an instant as Thane straightened his posture. "My apologies," he recovered smoothly, "just eager to strike this new deal."

His parents' eyes narrowed, but neither said a word before returning their attention to the merchants, beckoning him to do the same.

One of the traders, a tall, slender man with thin-framed glasses, leaned forward as he cleared his throat. "Allow me to inject some reality into the situation, your Highness. We will require double the payment of the shipment upfront, as well as a plan of action for an increase in royal protection during transport. Otherwise, putting our ships and crews at such risk simply isn't worth it. These pirates have made it nearly impossible to deliver anything safely, particularly weaponry."

Thane fought hard to stifle a snicker. He crossed his arms over his chest in what he hoped came across as a commanding pose.

"Double the payment upfront seems hardly plausible with the depletion of our supplies," he began, but his words were cut off by his father clearing his throat.

"I'm sure we can find a compromise that doesn't place our kingdom under an increasing amount of monetary strain, for now at least, until we can reinstate a steady flow of trade," his voice was steady, but he shot a warning glare at Thane before he spoke again. "May I suggest that the additional payment be given upon delivery of the supplies, as well as the accompaniment of two of our finest crews to escort you during your travels."

The marchants exchanged wary glances before the other one spoke, a shorter woman with pin straight black hair and sharp features, "With all do respect, your Highness, I'm afraid a simple escort will do us no good. Even your own ships have fallen to these treacherous pirates. If you cannot ensure us any additional protection, there will be no further agreement tonight."

Thane's hands clasped together upon the table, leaning forward on his forearms as an idea planted itself in his mind. It was. Reckless, bold, a complete shot in the dark.

Dare he say, his most brilliant idea yet.

He cleared his throat. "I will personally command the patrols sent to escort your ships."  He announced with pride. "I will oversee the entire voyage myself."

His jaw clenched at the thick, heavy silence that fell over the room. His mother opened her mouth to speak, but she closed it as his father placed a steady hand over hers. They watched him carefully, a mixture of surprise and calculation.

The merchants raised their brows in unison. The woman's eyes narrowed skeptically. "You? And how is your presence any better at protecting us when your previous ships have already failed?"

Thane blinked, taken aback by the question. She clearly had no idea who she was talking to.
What do you mean? How is my presence any better? There's nothing better than the best.
She wouldn't have dared to speak to the Captain that way.

But then he remembered who he was supposed to be. Every eye in the room was burning into him, expecting something noble, wise, and kingly- something Koen would say. Instead, he let his captain instincts take over.

"Our crews are failing because we are underestimating the enemy," he spoke smoothly. "I will not make that mistake again, and I will be there to make sure of it. This time, we'll expect their arrival. Anticipate their every move."

The traders exchanged glances. The man leaned forward, his elbows pressing into the polished oak, "If you have full confidence in this plan, Your Highness, we'll accept your proposal."

The woman began pulling out a sheet of parchment and scribbling up the terms of the agreement. "However, if anything goes wrong-"

"It won't," Thane stood abruptly, extending his hand to the merchant, "I'm sure of it."

Thane's relief was short-lived as the marchants exited the room.

"That went well, yeah?" He swiveled in his chair to face his parents, expecting their approval. Instead, their cold glares told him all he needed to know.

"Are you out of your mind?" His mother seethed, keeping her voice low as if someone was listening nearby. "How will you personally oversee these convoys? You've got enough on your plate as it is."

This scolding reminded him why he left in the first place. Just because he saw things differently than they did, he would never be fit to rule their kingdom.

He crossed his arms, shrugging as if her words didn't matter. "Seemed like it was the right thing to say. At this point, it's our only option."

"The right thing..." his mother scoffed. "Do you have any idea of the risk you've just placed yourself in? Or the rest of us? I thought we made it clear our supplies and patrols are stretched thin. What difference do you make? I would have never thought-"

Thane opened his mouth to retort, but he noticed her voice had begun to tremble, teetering on a line between anger and terror. He began to wonder if she was even angry at all. Or just afraid.

"Meris," his father interrupted, his calm voice cutting through the tension. His eyes remained on Thane, the scrutiny of his gaze heavy with disappointment- a look he remembered all too well from his childhood. It made him feel small, stripped of every bit of strength and dignity he had.

"Son, I know these negotiations have come with no small stakes," the king began, his steady tone contrasting the weight of his words. "but you've handled more difficult tasks before. You've done so well for years. Now is not the time to falter."

He paused, the pressure of the situation causing Thane to shift in his seat.

"I can't help but notice," the king continued, "that you've seemed distracted lately. Unfocused. Today confirmed my suspicions."

With his arms still crossed over his chest, he shrugged off the accusations,  "Just the weight of it all, I guess. Thinking ahead."

But his parents gave no response, just exchanged another questioning glance. Did everyone do that around here? Were they not allowed to just say what they thought?

He stood to escape the growing discomfort, giving his father a curt nod. "This is my decision. I will see it through- successfully."

Guards on either opened the heavy doors for him. The deep creak of the door cutting through the stifling silence.

See it through, indeed.

As he made his way back to Koen's bedroom, his mind was already racing. He would alert his crew of the change- lead them to intercept the supplies yet again, this time under the facade of a royal escort. It would be the perfect way to infiltrate the palace, unnoticed and unharmed. Once inside, their patrols would be no match for his crew.

His lips curled into a devious grin. Despite the crude comments of his parents, he knew his plan was flawless. His crew would see the brilliance of it. He allowed himself a small chuckle, already imagining his first mates' reaction to the news. Van would beam with pride, maybe even offer a toast. Runa would give him that sly smile of hers and applaud his cleverness. They would say he's outdone himself.

"Finest captain of the seas," they'd cheer. And they'd be right.

Waves of anticipation flowed through him as he shoved open the doors to Koen's room. Still, a flicker of doubt remained at the edges of his thoughts as he glanced at the pictures on the wall above the desk. The notes scattered about the room.

Would he ever switch back to his own life? If they did switch back, what would Koen do when he found out?

He shook the questions from his mind. None of that mattered now. His plan was in motion, and it would work. Nothing could stop it now.

Still, his eyes lingered on the photos, drawn to a scene of two young boys- both grinning ear to ear, one of them holding a play-sword high in the air. Despite their mudied clothes and scraped up skin, their expressions were unwavering. Happy.

Thane plucked the photo from the wall, his fingers delicately holding the edges of the frame. These memories hadn't dared to cross his mind in ages. The salty air and never-ending adventures at sea had washed away the need to recall his old life.

He set the photo on the desk with a small shake of his head. The past was just that- the past. These pictures were taken lifetimes ago. Those smiles belonged to a boy he hardly recognized anymore.

His gaze lingered for a moment longer than he'd have liked before he turned away to the mess of papers and journals. It seemed so unlike how Koen used to be- so proper and poised. His brows furrowed as he picked up one of the older sheets, its edges worn and crumpled.

Suspected sightings near southeastern ports. Awaiting confirmation.
Check previous trade routes back to their respective origins. Pirates? HIC in a neighboring country?

Thane let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. His brother had been searching for him. All these years.

He picked up another paper, unfolding it as concern gnawed at the back of his mind. Thane knew that he was not the only intelligent one of the two. How close had Koen come to finding out everything?

His questions were answered as soon as they came. This page held a map of the kingdom's ports and their respective trade routes. It was crowded with arrows, circles, and various notes, some of which had been crossed out. His focus gravitated to one scribbled in the corner of the paper.

Several sightings of the same ship bearing a crimson sail. Crimson Scythe? Acquire more info.

A spiteful laugh escaped his lips. All this time, Koen had been hunting him, chasing his shadows, and he hadn't even known it. Thane had been carving out a life of his own, and Koen had spent his trying to figure it out.

"Poor Koen, so determined to find someone who doesn't want to be found," he leaned against the desk, smirking at the arrows and circles scrawled in rushed handwriting. "You're going to have to try harder than that, little brother."

He set the papers down, brushing his hand over a stack of leather-bound journals. He plucked one from the stack, the spine cracking slightly as he opened it, fanning through the pages. Within it were more notes, more maps and trails traced with arrows and markings. He paused, his eyes catching on a single line scribbled in the margins.

Thane is alive. I don't know where he is, but he's here somewhere, I can feel it. I just hope he's safe.

Thane's grip tightened on the edges of the journal. He swallowed an uncomfortable feeling that rose in his chest and slammed the journal shut, throwing it back onto the desk. There was no time for sappy nostalgia. Koen could long and search all he wanted, but he would never find him. Not even during the heist would he be revealed. Thane had chosen this path for himself- a path that brought him triumph and adventure. A path that made him who he'd always wanted to be.

Still, as he paced the room and scribbled his own plans on a sheet of paper, he couldn't shake the feeling of doubt tugging at the back of his mind. He kept glancing at the photos on the wall, the notes of desperation and determination scribblined across the papers. It all painted a picture of a brother who refused to give up on him, even after years of silence- of betrayal.

Thane threw himself onto the grand silk bed, the soft sheets feeling unfamiliar yet strangely comforting beneath him. He ran his hands through his hair, letting out a groan of frustration.

For a moment, something unrecognizable stirred within him- fragile and unwelcome, yet it refused to be ignored.